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April 2013 MinneCulture Archives

Every weekend during summer, vacationers from all over Minnesota and beyond pack up the family car and head north to Highway 1. The highway cuts a jagged route across the top quarter of the state, from North Dakota in the west, to the rocky shores of Lake Superior in the east, through farmland, reservation, lake and lodge country. Curious about this storied Northlands highway, KAXE producer Britt Aamodt hit the road to explore for herself.

Every weekend during summer, vacationers from all over Minnesota and beyond pack up the family car and head north to Highway 1. The highway cuts a jagged route across the top quarter of the state, from North Dakota in the west, to the rocky shores of Lake Superior in the east, through farmland, reservation, lake and lodge country. Curious about this storied Northlands highway, KAXE producer Britt Aamodt hit the road to explore for herself.

Tonight on MinneCulture, a special pledge drive encore presentation that explores the history of KFAI, Fresh Air Inc. This documentary was produced by Ahndi Fridell and J. Otis Powell in 2003 for KFAI’s 25th anniversary, and this year, a companion piece is in the works to celebrate the station’s 35th birthday. Tonight we’ll take a look back at the evolution of KFAI community radio in the first of a two-part series.

Tonight on MinneCulture, a special pledge drive encore presentation that explores the history of KFAI, Fresh Air Inc. This documentary was produced by Ahndi Fridell and J. Otis Powell in 2003 for KFAI’s 25th anniversary, and this year, a companion piece is in the works to celebrate the station’s 35th birthday. Tonight we’ll take a look back at the evolution of KFAI community radio in the second of a two-part series.

Caponi Art Park is a natural and artistic oasis in Eagan, Minnesota. The park is the vision of Sally Award winner, Tony Caponi, who literally carved it out of his own back yard. Produced for KFAI by Michelle Alimoradi.

In the late 19th century, insane asylums were built across the country in response to a national outcry over the treatment of the mentally ill. More than 75 asylums were designed using Dr. Thomas Kirkbride’s Moral Treatment Plan, which claimed that mental ailments could be alleviated with beautiful architecture and serene landscaping. The former State Hospital in Fergus Falls is one of the few remaining intact Kirbride hospitals in the country. Re-named the Regional Treatment Center in 1985, the building is destined for the wrecking ball if a developer is not soon found. KFAI producer Susan Gray spoke with preservation supporters to learn about the building’s historical significance to Fergus Falls, and the treatment of people with mental illness.

This week on MinneCulture, producer Britt Aamodt explores The Mesabi Iron Range Strike of 1907. At the turn of the last century, Minnesota’s Iron Range was a cauldron of ethnicities and languages. From 1892 to 1914, more than 40 different ethnic groups immigrated there from the Old World, converging on one of the richest iron lodes in history.

In 1907, a large-scale labor strike erupted on the Mesabi Range, led primarily by immigrant Finns. The strike raised questions about whether laborers had the right to strike for liveable wages, eight-hour work days and fair work practices.

Though ultimately unsuccessful, the strike broke down cultural barriers and united miners under the common banner of organized labor. In our next segment, KFAI producer Britt Aamodt talks with historian Rhoda Gilman, Pam Brunfelt and Peter Rachleff.